Iron Flower
by Nova Harman-Redfern
Summary: The final Wild Power has been discovered so Thierry has called a meeting of all the Daybreakers together. They have a battle to prepare for. But the Night World have brought back Dragon Princess in a vain attempt to get the Wild Powers. Of course nothing
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: All Night World ideas, concepts and characters belong to LJS. The characters of Nova Harman-Redfern, Winter Redfern, Donavon Redfern, Azurite Dracho, Darcie Bloodthorne, Devi Darkthorn, Jorryn Nightshade and Martina Silverthorne belong to me. Please ask me first if you wish to use them. The title comes from a K's Choice song on their album Paradise in Me. (Track 7)   
  
Summary: The final Wild Power has been discovered so Thierry has called a meeting of all the Daybreakers together. They have a solstice to celebrate, and a battle to prepare for. But the Night World are prepared too. They've brought back the Dragon Princess in a vain attempt to get the Wild Powers. If one of the new Night World recruits wasn't the Wild Power's soulmate, maybe there wouldn't be problems...  
  
Part 1  
  
The black candles burned, their flames creating eerie, twisting shadows. The woman in the black robes smiled in satisfaction as she completed her ritual. Her chanting reached a crescendo, and a blast of strange light filled the room.   
  
When the light cleared, another person had appeared in the centre of the room. The new woman who appeared was tall and dark skinned, dressed in animal skins, looking like someone who had appeared from caveman times. Which was exactly who she was. Black hair cascaded around her, and red eyes glared at Nova Harman-Redfern.   
  
"Hello Azurite Dracho," Nova said, a cruel smile growing over her face. "Welcome to the twentieth century."  
  
The woman in the skins looked dazed and surprised, as if she didn't really understand what was going on. Well, who could blame her? The woman had been put to sleep by the witches thirty thousand years ago.   
  
She had been the leader of the dragons in the times when shapeshifters had ruled the earth. And Nova had brought her back for a very special purpose. She had been a key player in the First Millennium battle, and had fought hard to banish the witches. Unfortunately, she had failed. But this time, if the Night World Council had a dragon on their side, then their chances of getting the final Wild Power increased.  
  
Things were starting to look up for the bad guys.   
  
* * *  
  
Winter Redfern was not impressed. She followed the butler down the wide marble hallway to the office of the Daybreak leader, Thierry Descouedres. He was waiting for her, an eager smile on his face. Lady Hannah, his soulmate, stood with him, also smiling brightly.   
  
"Winter Redfern, you can't understand what an honour it is to finally meet you," Thierry said, reaching out and taking her hands.   
  
"We've been searching for so long, and now you're finally part of us!" Hannah said excitedly.   
  
Winter just looked at them, managing a weak smile. Personally, she wasn't so sure what the big deal was. So she had some sort of special magic power they called Blue Fire. What was the point? She'd heard about the millennium prophecies, but personally, didn't believe they'd come true.  
  
"Well," Hannah said brightly, "why don't you get yourself settled in then I'll introduce you to everyone."  
  
"Great," Winter muttered, trying, and failing to sound interested. She followed Hannah out the door to a wide marble staircase where a tall, elegant lanky boy was leaning against the railing. His eyebrows raised as he saw Winter coming, and he gave her what must be his flirty smile. "Hi there," he said. "I'm Ash."  
  
"Winter Redfern," she said. He reached out to take her hand, and started to bring it to his lips.  
  
"Ash!"  
  
He stopped then, looking over his shoulder at the girl who had appeared. She was only average height, dressed in jeans and a top with a pattern of moons and stars. Dark brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and blue eyes glared furiously at Ash, who just looked back. His eyes changed colour from moment to moment, like the lights in a glacier. Redfern eyes. Winter wasn't impressed, hers were the same. He smiled apologetically at the girl. "Relax, Mare, I'm just being friendly," he said.   
  
"You're too friendly," the girl said, sounding a little jealous as she glanced over at Winter.   
  
"Lighten up Mare," Hannah said, still annoyingly bright. Winter wondered how she could sound so perky. "Winter this is Mary-Lynnette Carter, she and Ash are soulmates."   
  
Winter felt a stab of her own jealously. "You're soulmates?" she said, a touch of wistfulness in her voice. Her thoughts strayed to her own, but she pushed it away before the memories could deepen.  
  
Mary-Lynnette sighed. "Unfortunately." Her eyebrow raised. "On second thoughts, you want him?" Now she seemed eager to get rid of him.   
  
"Thanks a lot," Ash muttered.   
  
"I'm good," Winter said, a dry smile on her pale pink lips.   
  
"Don't just stand there, Ash," Hannah said, "make yourself useful. Take Winter's bags."  
  
Ash took Winter's two suitcases and accompanied her and Hannah up to one of the second floor bedrooms. Winter tuned out Hannah's bright, inane chatter. She didn't feel like being happy and perky. She saw several other heads stick out of doors as she passed. She felt their eyes follow her. She frowned, not really liking the feeling. It felt strange, invasive of her privacy.   
  
She wasn't all that important. She knew she was pretty, with her model's figure, long golden hair, and ever changing Redfern eyes, a face that was a sculptor's dream, and skin that was soft to touch, the palest of pinks. But being pretty wasn't everything, at least, it wasn't to her. But that wasn't why everyone was staring at her.   
  
They were staring at her because she was the supposed final Wild Power. With her on their side, then they would successfully banish all the darkness at the millennium battle. She shuddered inwardly. The thought of battle scared her. She was no fighter.   
  
She nodded her thanks to Ash and Hannah and was relieved to finally be alone.   
  
* * *  
  
Hannah frowned, wondering what was wrong. The new Wild Power didn't seem to be happy she was there. Thea looked up from her seat in the lounge when Hannah walked in, sitting down next to her. "What's up?" she asked, putting her magazine down. "We've got the new Wild Power, so why aren't you jumping for joy?"  
  
"She's the Wild Power?" Mary-Lynnette asked as she came in then. She looked a little embarrassed. "Oops."  
  
"Oops?" Thea asked. "What'd you do?"  
  
"I sort of got mad at Ash flirting with her," she confessed. "I didn't realise she was the Wild Power.  
  
"Ash flirts with every girl he meets, you know he doesn't mean anything by it," Hannah said dismissively. "He's nuts about you, anyone can see that."  
  
Mary-Lynnette smiled a little. "What's her problem anyway?" she asked. "For a Wild Power she seemed kind of remote."  
  
"That's what I wondered," Hannah said. She frowned, unsure why she lacked Thierry's joy at the discovery of the Wild Power. She was cold and unfriendly, distant. It made her wonder...  
  
"Give her some time," Thea said. "Maybe she's just a little overwhelmed at sudden discoveries of her powers and being dragged into all of this."  
  
"Maybe," Hannah said. She just hoped Thea was right. She wasn't sure why, but she seemed to find trusting Winter difficult. She had hardly said a word. Did the Night World know about her? Was she working with them in a plot to steal the others from under their noses? She was sure she was just being paranoid. Thea was right. Winter just needed time to adjust to her new surroundings. That was all. Wasn't it?  
  
* * *  
  
Winter sat on her window seat, her long legs tucked under her. She stared out at the bright blue sky outside, the lush landscape of the mansion. Obviously everything green must be artificially grown. In this desert climate growing plants would probably be impossible.   
  
She had unpacked, but wasn't ready to go downstairs and be polite and happy and annoyingly perky like they all seemed. They were all probably very nice. But...they all had their soulmates there.   
  
She could feel tears beading in her eyes, and since she was alone, allowed them to fall down her pale cheeks. She missed him so much. He was the one who had made her a Redfern, and after the wonderful discovery of their connection, and the joys it hadn't been forbidden, she had been willing to take the chance of being with him forever. Before her change into a vampire, she had been a shapeshifter, a hawk.   
  
She still had the ability to shift, and nothing beat flying. She loved the feel of soaring through the air, the wind rushing through her feathers. The feeling was amazing, electrifying. She had discovered her soulmate in lamia vampire Donavon Blackthorn. Their love had bloomed and grown, up until the Night World had discovered them. Unfortunately for her, he had failed to mention he was one of their top ranking assassins.   
  
The Night World wasn't the place for her, they were too cruel, too cold. She hadn't exactly thought of herself as Daybreak material. She was sort of in-between. Unable to pick sides, Night World had flat-out killed him in front of her.   
  
She shoved the memories aside. She had kept them buried for so long. Now, though, fighting for Daybreak, there might be the chance to avenge him.   
  
The other thing she wasn't sure about, were these new powers of hers. This Blue Fire that no one seemed to know much about. Discovering the powers had been completely accidental. As far as she knew, shapeshifters had no witch magic. She had spied a human girl being chased by vampire and had run to help out. She had fought and been injured, and then the blast had just - suddenly come out of her. It had just happened - like that. Some Daybreak agents had been in the area and seen the blast, and then they had insisted she come with them and be taken somewhere safe where the Night World wouldn't get her. Her family had been taken to a Daybreak safe-house, while she had gone to the main headquarters to meet the other Wild Powers.   
  
She wasn't ready to meet them yet. Not yet. She would rather just be left alone. She couldn't fact explaining why she was so unhappy. Hell, right now, she'd rather just be dead.  
  
* * *  
Nova paced up and down in her office, while Azurite sat in her chair. She had improved in appearance, and seemed fascinated by the new century. And very eager for revenge against the witches who had put her to sleep.   
  
"So why do you not just kill them?" she asked, a frown on her face.   
  
"We're getting to that," Nova said. She smiled, running her fingers through her mane of crimson coloured hair. She tapped long black nails on the wooden sideboard, waiting for her new team to arrive. For such a task, she had sent her favourite assassin Donavon Redfern to gather the most evil, most vicious Night People he could find.   
  
Luckily for her, Donavon was having a slight problem with his memory - in that - he'd lost it. She had *not* been happy, discovering him with a wimpy little shapeshifter for his soulmate. She wanted her top assassin back. He was her favourite, one of the best. And this bitch would change him, she'd make him wussy like her, and they would both probably end up as damned Daybreakers dancing and singing about love and harmony and all that crap. No. No. No. That could *not* happen. Anyway, the whole thing had been taken care of. As far as the soulmate was concerned, he was long dead.   
  
The problem was the soulmate, Winter Redfern, had now been discovered as the Fourth Wild Power. Informed sources inside Daybreak told her that all the Wild Powers and the important people had gathered together inside Thierry's Daybreak mansion.   
  
Personally, Nova would have thought the better of Thierry. Having the most important Daybreak people all under one roof where it would be so easy to destroy them, blow them up in their sleep or something, it was ludicrous. All the more fun for the bad guys to play with them.   
  
Finally the double doors open and a group of people dressed in dark clothing and black leather, with strange coloured hair and eyes walked in. They looked like a gone-wrong Eighties punk band. Nova looked over at Donavon leading the group, tall, blond, muscular, silver eyes meeting hers, a smile pulling at his lips as he saw the look on her face.   
  
"This is it?" she asked.   
  
"Yep, the best I could find," he said, sounding amused. He pointed at the first girl, fairly small, flowing red locks, eyes shining the colour of blood, dressed in a snake-print top, high boots, and a short skirt. "Darcie Bloodthorne, 1/2 witch, 1/2 vampire," he said. He sounded rather impressed. Nova wondered vaguely if he was sleeping with her. It wouldn't be all that surprising. He pointed to the girl who stood next to her. Tall, dressed in a long flowing black dress with a twisting design, slightly Gothic. Blue black hair surrounded her like a shawl, and murky green eyes stared at Nova with unfriendly hostility. "Devi Darkthorne. Witch."   
  
"Darkthorne and Bloodthorne? Relations?" Nova asked.  
  
"Cousins," Donavon said. He pointed at the guy behind the two girls. Again, tall and muscular in black from head to toe, everything, including eyes and hair, even his skin was dark, making him seem the essence of darkness. Now this was more like it. Nova was slightly more impressed with him. "Jorryn Nightshade. Lamia vampire. Over 500." Finally, he moved to the final girl. She was as tall as Jorryn, dressed in a black leather body suit, showing off her slender body, and all her curves. Purple hair fell to her shoulders and blue eyes shone with a mischievous glimmer. "Martina Silverthorne. Vampire. Over 600."   
  
Nova looked at her new team, wondering if they were really up to the task she had for them. "Okay. Your task - bring me a Wild Power. Any one of them, we only need one of them to triumph. Four less one. Get the weakest one. Kill anyone else who tries to stop you. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
They all grumbled and nodded.   
  
Nova leaned against her sideboard. "Go away and get on with it. And," she paused before they all left. "Do *not* disappoint me. You don't want to see me upset."  
  
"And she's not kidding," Donavon muttered as the team followed him out the door.  
  
Azurite didn't look any more impressed with the group than Nova did. "Do you really think that bunch of social rejects could bring you the Wild Power?" she asked.  
  
Nova shrugged. She was catching on fast. "We're gonna have to wait and see."  
  
* * *  
Winter still sat on her window seat, daydreaming of her lost love when there was a knock on the door. "Who is it?" she said, irritated.   
  
"It's Ash," a male voice answered. The door opened and he came in without being invited. He joined her on the window seat. "Why so sad?" He noticed the silver picture frame in her hand, her one and only photograph of Donavon. "Who's that?"  
  
Winter looked at the picture, her head tilted. "My soulmate," she said sadly. "He's dead. Night World killed him."  
  
Ash looked sympathetic. "Look at it this way, in a couple of days when it's the battle you'll get your revenge when you blast them all with your blue fire," he offered, trying to cheer her up.   
  
Winter studied him. "So, I see you've found your soulmate."  
  
He smiled faintly. If he didn't have a soulmate, and if she still wasn't hung up on the loss of hers, she might have been attracted to him. "Yeah, she's the one that convinced me to join Daybreak,"  
  
"How come?" Winter asked.   
  
Ash turned away and looked out the window. "I used to be bad, as bad as you can be. Your average badass Redfern vamp." He glanced over at her warily. She just looked at him. He looked away again. "I lived in an enclave with my three sisters, Rowan, Kestrel and Jade. Then one day they ran away, they wanted to see the human world. And I went after them. They hid in a small town where a distant relative used to live, and not only did I found them, I found Mary-Lynnette as well." He smiled faintly. "I started seeing things differently then. She made me realise there's more to humans than food and vermin." He looked a little ashamed. "I was determined to change for her. I rescued Gillian, a lost witch from a Night World club she wandered into, I met Hannah, an Old Soul, with soulmate problems of her own. She sorted her problems out, and I did mine."  
  
Winter sighed. "That's all well and good for you, but it won't bring mine back," she said sadly.   
  
Ash looked at her, an eyebrow raised. "You asked me." He studied her for a moment. "I came up here to invite you to the Solstice party tonight." He smiled suddenly, as if struck by something very funny.  
  
Winter eyed him. "What?"  
  
"Ironically, Winter Solstice," he said with that sexy lopsided grin. "The witches will do a brief ceremony, then it's party all night. Maybe that'll cheer you up. Think about it." He stood up then and left, shutting the door behind him.   
  
Winter watched him go. Maybe he had a point. Maybe the party would cheer her up. Only one way to find out.   
  
* * *   
  
Winter left the privacy of her room to brave the Solstice celebration. She found the Daybreaks in a room, all sat in some sort of group, while she noticed a couple of witches in white robes, an iron cauldron, an alter set up with evergreen wood on either side, a circle of stones, dried leaves, candles of various sizes and colour waiting to be lit. Incense was burning creating a pleasant smell.  
  
Winter took a seat next to Mary-Lynnette, Ash and Hannah. "Look who's decided to join the real world," Ash said.  
  
Winter gave him a look. "Shut up," she said. "What's going on? I thought you said there was going to be a party."  
  
"There will be," Hannah said. "But first Thea, Winnie and Iliana are going to do their Solstice ritual."  
  
Winter had never seen an actual ritual being performed, and turned with renewed interest to the three girls in white robes standing around the cauldron. The leader, a girl with wise brown eyes, was holding a red candle. A gentle wash of power was blowing through the room. Winter could feel it caressing her skin like a warm summer wind. She watched the witches cast their circle. And then they began chanting:  
  
"We sorrow not, though the world is wrapped in sleep,  
We sorrow not, through the icy winds blast,  
We sorrow not, though the snow falls hide and deep..."  
  
  
"Snow?" Ash muttered under his breath. "Have they looked outside? It's desert. How the hell do you have to not sorrow for snow in the desert."  
  
Mary-Lynnette kicked him. "Shut up and listen," she hissed.  
  
Winter tried to hide a smile, and turned her attention back to the witches and their chants.  
  
"We sorrow not, this shall soon be passed."  
  
The girl with the gentle brown eyes blew on the candle, and the wick lit up, a flame dancing, shining with a bright golden glow. As the flames moved and swayed from side to side, they chanted again.  
  
"We light this fire in your honour Mother Goddess,  
You have created life from death, warmth from cold,  
The Sun lives once again; the time of light is waxing,  
Welcome ever returning God of the Sun!  
Hail Mother of all!"  
  
They began circling round the caldron, walking counter-clockwise, their eyes all fixed on the burning candle as the leader placed it inside the cauldron. The chanting continued.   
  
"The wheel turns, the power burns."  
  
They circled the coven, repeating this several times, eventually stopping, and sitting down around the cauldron in the lotus position. Winter was confused. "What's going on?" she whispered to Mary-Lynnette, who just shrugged, and watched on, equally fascinated.   
  
"They're meditating, I think," Hannah explained softly.   
  
The three witches stood up in a swift, graceful movement, smiles on their faces, eyes shining. They started circling the coven again, chanting a final incantation.   
  
"Great God of the Sun,  
We welcome your return.  
May you shine brightly on the Goddess,  
May you shine brightly on the Earth,  
Scattering seeds and fertilising the land,  
All blessings on you  
Reborn one of the sun!"  
  
Then they did some more things with the herbs and leaves. Winter didn't really know what was going on.   
  
"Okay," the leader, Thea said cheerfully. "That's it, we're done."  
  
"Finally," Ash muttered. He smiled brilliantly. "Now party, party, party."  
  
Loud music came on and people spilt up into groups as the Solstice party got on the way. Winter blended in with the crowd, finding herself joining Jez and Morgead, and Keller and Nissa, who didn't seem all lovey-dovey and sickeningly happy.   
  
Yet, while the celebrations continued, the Daybreakers were unaware of what lurked in the darkness around the mansion.   
  
* * *  
  
Notes: The solstice ritual Thea uses in this part comes from a suggestion in Scott Cunningham's a Wicca, a guide for the solitary practitioner. I thought using an actual ceremony would make it seem more realistic.   
  



	2. Part 2

As the idiotic Daybreaks were so immersed in their welcoming this bright and happy god and that shiny goddess, Donavon and his team had managed to sneak up, an army of darkness surrounded the mansions. Thierry's dumb guards had been easy killed, and now they had all the Wild Powers, isolated where he wanted them.  
  
He could see the one Nova wanted. Winter Redfern. They only needed one to triumph. Nova had taken him to one side, telling him to specifically get Winter Redfern. She had some sort of personal grudge against the Wild Power girl.  
  
The girl was pretty, like an ice sculpture. He moved up silently behind her, grabbing her arms. The music suddenly stopped and the lights went on.   
  
Shouts rang out, fights started, but the Daybreakers were vastly out numbered.   
  
"I suggest maybe everyone stops what they're doing, drop your weapons or she dies right now." His fangs lengthened, and his grip on the girl's neck tightened.   
  
She moved then, as much as she could in his tight hold, and surprised green eyes met his. She studied him, a look of disbelief on her face. "Donavon?" she whispered.   
  
The Daybreakers dropped their weapons. Even Donavon had to admit he was surprised. He'd expected more of a fight. But maybe they cared too much about the Wild Powers. He jerked Winter's arm to make her move, and for a blonde, she was surprisingly smart. She moved where he wanted her to go.   
  
He dragged her out, into the waiting limo, smiling faintly as a fight exploded behind him. He would have liked to have taken part. Darcie was waiting by the limo as Donavon shoved Winter inside.  
  
"That was fast," Darcie remarked, getting inside as the limo screeched off. Winter was sandwiched between them, with no hope of escape. For some reason, Winter couldn't seem to take her eyes off him, her hand kept reaching out to touch him. Darcie was getting mad. She grabbed Winter's wrists, and bound them with some bast cord.   
  
Donavon glanced away from Winter's penetrating gaze, unsure why she kept looking at him like that. All she did know was she didn't like it.   
  
When they arrived back at Nova's mansion, they escorted Winter to the main office. Nova and Azurite were there, waiting, smiling.   
  
"Well, well," Nova said. "I have to admit, I'm impressed, Donavon."  
  
Donavon's eyebrows raised. "You have faith in me," he said dryly. "That's so sweet."  
  
Nova smiled back. "A pleasure," she said brightly. "Now let's get her locked up."   
  
* * *  
Darcie followed the group at a distance. She had taken an instant disliking to The Wild Power girl. For some reason, ever since they'd grabbed her, she had been trying to touch Donavon.   
  
She seemed to know him from somewhere, but quite clearly didn't recognise her. They locked her in a cage in the basement. The cage had been built for keeping animals in, for Nova's hunting thrills, occasionally she kidnapped humans and hunted them instead. That was more fun. It suited their purpose now. Donavon left with Nova and the Dragon girl, who didn't seem to like anyone much.   
  
Jorryn and Martina came downstairs, breathless from battle. "Nothing like battling the Daybreakers to make a bad day seem perky," Martina said brightly.   
  
Darcie just shrugged, and walked out, still bugged over the deal with Donavon and the Wild Power. For some reason Nova had a grudge against her, maybe she knew something.  
  
She didn't know Donavon that well, they'd only been dating for about a month. He seemed to be having some memory problems. He never talked about his past, he got mad if anyone mentioned it.   
  
She knocked on the door to Nova's office and went inside. Nova was alone, with some paper work spread out on her desk. She looked up as Darcie came in. "What's up?"  
  
Darcie sat down and shrugged. "I was hoping you could tell me. What do you know about Donavon?" It was common knowledge that Nova had had a thing for Donavon. But he didn't seem all that interested in Nova. He was one of her favourite assassins.   
  
"Donavon was Daybreaker who needed some sense knocked into him," Nova said.   
  
"What's the deal with him and the Wild Power?" she asked. Donavon? Daybreak? The idea was laughable.   
  
"The Wild Power was his soulmate. She was Daybreak, and turned him to turn Daybreak too." Nova pouted. "He was my favourite. I couldn't allow the little bitch to take him. I didn't know she was the Wild Power, then. The girl was a shifter, and she wanted to be a vamp, so he changed her. Technically, that's not against the rules since she's already Night World. We attacked them. I had a witch do a spell, to make Donavon appear dead. But he wasn't dead. The plus side for us, is all he remembers is being bad."  
  
"But the girl's trying to reignite the Soulmate Spark," Darcie said unhappily.   
  
"Who says she's going to?" Nova said, "we keep her away from him, no problems."  
  
"Why can't I just kill the bitch?" Darcie hissed, feeling rage and anger. "Four less one. All we need."  
  
Nova smiled dryly. "As much as I'd like to let you, Azurite's the one in charge. She decides what we do. Talk to her."  
  
Darcie stood up, and stalked out. This was getting nowhere very fast. She didn't like it at all.   
  
* * *  
"We've got to get her back," Jez said flatly.   
  
The remains of Circle Daybreak sat around one of the lounge, cleaning their wounds.   
  
"I think that's pretty much a given," Ash said dryly. "Any ideas?"  
  
At the surprise attack they'd suffered heavy losses, the other Wild Powers had survived, and most of the recent pairs of soulmates. Some of them were badly injured, Iliana, Thea and Winnie were working together with their powers to try and heal them up before the battle, and if they didn't get to Winter before the Night World killed her, they didn't stand a chance. The idea of vampires taking over the world was not an appealing one.   
  
"We sneak up on them like they did us," Maggie suggested. "We know they're outside somewhere. It's not going to be hard to find a big creepy mansion somewhere."  
  
The Daybreakers exchanged glances. At least someone had a brain still working. Most of them were still in shock, ones like Ash, dealing with it with annoying sarcasm. Mary-Lynnette seemed to be ready to throttle him. Ash was going to need new shins by the end of the day with the amount of times she kept kicking him.   
  
Eventually, they had a plan of their own.   
  
"Jez, Morgead, go with Keller and Rashel," Thierry said. "Ash, you go too, make some use of yourself."  
  
Ash opened his mouth to protest, then shut it gloomily. Maybe in future he should learn to keep his mouth shut and not be a smart-ass. It was going to take a lot of work.   
  
* * *  
  
Winter sat on the floor of her cage, not sure what else to do. There were two Night People there, two vampires. She could blast them with her blue fire, of course, but they hadn't done anything to hurt her. Yet.  
  
Winter wasn't a cruel person, she didn't like to hurt people unnecessarily. If they tried to hurt her first, well, that would be a different situation.   
  
Her thoughts drifted back to Donavon. She didn't understand. He was *dead.* Or at least, that's what she'd thought. She frowned, shaking her head in confusion. He didn't know who she was.  
  
The knowledge of that hurt almost like a physical pain. These - people - had done something to him. They'd changed him, corrupted him. He'd been one of them once, but she thought she'd straightened him out, but now...he was bad again.   
  
He wouldn't let her touch him. Winter felt fore sure if she touched him, then the soulmate spark would reignite, and Donavon would remember who he should be. He would remember her.   
  
"What's the deal with Donavon and the Wild Power chick, anyway?" the tall, scary one was saying, gesturing over to Winter.   
  
Winter stood up, moving closer to the bars. Why the hell did they even need a cage anyway? It seemed absurd.   
  
The big scary guy chuckled. "I don't think Darcie likes her much, the Wild Power's making Don *think*."  
  
"We're soulmates," Winter said simply.   
  
The girl laughed. "I don't think so, honey," she snorted. Winter fought to keep her temper, the pet-names annoyed her. "Don's too bad to have a soulmate. That's just mushy shit you damned Daybreakers dreamed up."  
  
"It's not mushy shit," Winter snapped, feeling her anger rising. She could feel the power starting to grow inside her. "You people did something to him. You made him forget me."  
  
The girl studied her, an unfriendly smile on her face. "It doesn't look like you're worth remembering, sweetie."  
  
And Winter got mad. Forget her principles. This bitch deserved to die. She made a cut on her wrist with her sharp fingernails, and could see the blood come out, welling dark red in the cut.   
  
The scary guy frowned. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked, sounding alarmed.   
  
Winter gave then an unpleasant smile of her own, and let the blue fire out. She could feel it come out of her in an intense blast of heat, the sparkling blue surrounded the room, and her vision.   
  
When it cleared, the bars of the cage had melted. The two vamps were gone. Winter smiled. A stroke of luck for her.   
  
She slipped between what was left of the bars and headed up the stairs. She didn't get very far. The door opened, and she found herself face to face with her soulmate.  
  
"Donavon."  
  
* * *  
  
Alerted by the sudden flash of blue Donavon hurried down into the basement. He stopped dead, seeing the Wild Power was free. She stood two steps below him, looking at him with innocent blue eyes.   
  
"You don't remember me," she said. She sounded hurt.   
  
Donavon just stared at her. "Should I?"  
  
The girl just looked at him sadly, reached out two slender hands to take his. He jerked back, not wanting to touch her.   
  
"We're soulmates," she said, her tone wistful. "They did something to you, made you forget."  
  
Donavon stared at the girl for several minutes, before he suddenly burst out laughing. "Soulmates? That's just Daybreak crap. I don't *have* a soulmate, and I don't want one. I have Darcie."  
  
The girl looked at him, her lip trembling, as if on the verge of tears. Donavon could feel his disgust rising. What a wimp. How did she ever get blue fire in her veins.   
  
"You can't love Darcie," she went on softly. "You loved me. You made me a Redfern so we could be together, forever. They corrupted you, changed you."  
  
Donavon stared at her, suddenly feeling uncomfortable at her insistence. "All right," he said finally. "Prove it. Prove it to me that we're soulmates."  
  
The girl met his eyes directly, and held out her hands. "Touch me. Take my hands, touch my bare skin. The soulmate spark will reignite."  
  
After a brief hesitation, Donavon reached out for her, he took her hands in his. And his mind was blown away.   
  
* * *   
  
White light filled his mind, engulfing him. He was being pulled into Winter's *mind.* He could feel it surrounding them, something pulling them together, like two drops of water merging. He could see images flashing through her mind, pictures, feel feelings he wasn't feeling, experiencing things he'd never experienced, hearing thoughts that weren't his.  
  
They were Winter's thoughts, Winter's feelings. The soulmate connection, merging them together, letting one see the other for who they really were.  
  
And for some reason, Donavon suddenly felt afraid. He didn't *want* Winter to see his past. See how...evil...he was. But how could something so evil be soulmated with something so pure, like Winter.  
  
~Light to darkness~ she said.   
  
It was her voice, but it wasn't out loud. It was inside his head, in the whirl of confusion and feelings brought on by the connection sparking between them.   
  
~Twilight to be with the dark~.  
  
~It still doesn't make much sense,~ he grumbled. Darcie and Nova were gonna be so pissed when they found out.   
  
~You don't need them,~ Winter said. ~Look deeper.~  
  
Donavon frowned, not understanding what she meant. Without knowing how he was doing it, he seemed to be pulled deeper into her mind, seeing...himself.   
  
To her he was noble and brave and strong...  
  
What the...?  
  
That wasn't *him.* He shook his head, but couldn't seem to pull out of the hold she had on him. She was clinging on tightly, not wanting to leave.   
  
He wasn't good. He was *bad*. He loved the darkness.   
  
But why was Winter's mind showing him himself as a different person?  
  
The deeper he looked, he could see something like this had happened before. He could clearly see himself hunting the pretty girl...touching her...sparks flying, a feeling as if she was electrocuting him...  
  
He remembered feeling the same things he was feeling now, doubt, confusion...even fear.   
  
But she had shown him he could be so much better. Even convincing him to make her a Redfern...  
  
The memories surged around him, but they were his own, not hers.  
  
~Donavon?~ she asked.  
  
~It's all just a little overwhelming,~ he said.   
  
He let go of her hands, and the connection was broken. He suddenly found himself in the real world, looking at her. She gazed at him, her features softened with longing.   
  
"Now what?" he said with a sigh. He certainly wasn't ready to go all out soppy Daybreak again. His eyebrow raised. But who said he had to go Daybreak? What was to stop *her* from becoming Night World?   
  
"Not going to happen," she said stubbornly.  
  
He folded his arms and started at her. "Why not?"  
  
"Because they're *evil*," she snapped. She looked around the room. He frowned, noticing the melted bars of the cage, the black spots on the floor that had been Martina and Jorryn.   
  
"Okay, we've got a problem," he said with a sigh.  
  
"You think?" she snorted. "Are you gonna let me out of here or what?"  
  
He hesitated, not sure what to do. If he let her pass, would Nova and Azurite kill him? How would they know he let her out? But something told him there was a cloud of suspicion hanging around Nova.   
  
He knew there was more he hadn't remembered yet. Something to do with Winter and Nova...  
  
Winter sighed with impatience. "All right, all right. To cut a long story short you were bad and nasty, you chased me, you caught me, we discovered we were soulmates, and you realised what an asshole you'd been. You let me convinced you to try Daybreak, and we fell in love, and you changed me into a vampire so we could be together forever. Then Nova found out and she was pissed. She tried to kill us. I thought she *had* killed you, but she must have faked it, or done it with illusions or something. Then she did something to your mind to make you forget."   
  
Donavon stared at her. "Okay, that's a lot of information to get in such a short space of time."  
He wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel. But why would Winter lie? She didn't seem like the type to lie.   
  
"So what are we going to do?" she asked.  
  
"You're not going to do *anything,*" a surprised, harsh voice said, cutting in.   
  
They both turned around to see a very surprised Nova standing at the top of the steps.  
  
* * *  
  
Winter stared at Nova in dismay. The bitch had a habit of getting in the way and ruining the situation. And who was the dark, creepy girl behind her, looking equally surprised?  
  
"How the fuck did she get loose?" Nova was raging. "What happened to Jorryn and Martina?"  
  
"You let her out," the dark-skinned woman was saying, looking at Donavon with a little frown on her face.  
  
Nova groaned. "I should have known."  
  
"I didn't do anything!" he protested. "*She* was the one who blasted them with her blue fire."  
  
"They made me mad," Winter said simply. She could feel the power welling up inside her again, and was ready to use it on Nova and her friend if they made any move to hurt her or Donavon. She glanced over at Donavon, frowning, wondering if she used her Power how she could avoid accidentally blasting him as well. She had lost him once, and it had nearly killed her, and now she had him back she wasn't losing him again.   
  
Donavon wouldn't meet her eyes, and seemed torn, between staying with her or going back to Nova. Winter stared at him intently, wondering why men were so stupid sometimes.   
  
"Why aren't you doing anything?" the dark skinned woman asked Nova.  
  
Nova shrugged. "It's your show. You deal with them."  
  
The dark skinned woman smiled, and started towards Winter. Donavon's paralysis seemed to break, and he threw himself in front of the woman, who knocked him aside easily, laughing harshly.  
  
She reached out, grabbing Winter's slender shoulders with claw-like hands. There was something very wrong in the woman's black eyes. It was as if there was no soul behind them, they glared at Winter blankly, eyes of obsidian, nothing penetrated. A dragon. The woman was a *dragon.*  
  
Before she could shift and attack, something slammed into the dragon's shoulder. The dragon woman screeched in rage, throwing Winter to one side. Winter fell back, hitting her head against the wall. Dazed, she sat there, trying to focus on what was going on.  
  
She could see people moving around, and there seemed to be a fight. But she was too confused to comprehend. She tried to et up, but her legs were shaky and wouldn't support her. She slid down again.   
  
A bright flash of blue obscured her vision.   
  
When everything was clear again the dragon woman was gone. So were the bad guys. Was Nova gone too? Winter couldn't tell. She felt someone helping her up, and glanced into shifting eyes.  
  
"Come on, the sooner we get out of here the better," Ash was saying. She allowed him to help her stand up, and looked around again.   
  
Where was Donavon?   
  
There...but he seemed to be struggling. She didn't recognise the dark haired girl with the stake, about to plunge it into his heart. "No!" she cried out.  
  
The two other people turned to look at her in surprise. Winter didn't recognise them either. She looked desperately at the girl with the stake. "No! He's on our side!"  
  
Donavon opened his mouth as if to protest, but then shut it, shaking his head. Winter couldn't quite read his expression.  
  
"We're soulmates," he said finally.   
  
The girl reluctantly moved away.  
  
"Can we get out of here now?" Ash said impatiently.  
  
The others exchanged glances, groaning. They left. Winter clung to Donavon, who remained silent. She didn't know what he was feeling right now. He didn't seem to know himself. But at least they were safe. For now.  
  
* * *  
  
A seething fury was making Nova's blood boil as she stalked around her office, wrecking anything she could get her hands on to release the pent-up fury inside. She screamed aloud with frustration. The only one left of her group of bad guys was Darcie, who was equally pissed. They had lost the Dragon Princess, who had been blasted back to hell. Their Prize Wild Power had gone, as well as one of Nova's favourite bad guys. Donavon was lost again.  
  
How she hated those fucking Daybreakers. They really had a knack for showing up at the most inconvenient moments and spoiling everyone's fun.   
  
"So what are you planning on doing?" Darcie asked, glaring.  
  
Nova stopped to look at her. "I haven't a fucking clue," she snapped. "You tell me."  
  
Darcie didn't say anything, just stood there scowling. There was an uncomfortable hiatus, in which Nova felt her out of control fury slipping away. She took several deep breaths to calm herself down. It was ironic really, since vampires didn't need to breathe, but it was the only thing she could think of. She took a seat in her large leather office chair.   
  
There was only two days left until the millennium battle. A thought sparked in her mind, just a little idea, but the more she thought about it, the more she realised a plan was developing.   
  
"You have a plan?" Darcie asked, obviously seeing Nova's change of mood.   
  
Nova smiled faintly. "I'm working on it."  
  
* * *   
The millennium was in less than an hour. Tension was heavy amongst the Daybreakers. Every soulmate couple was spending time together, enjoying each other's company for what could possibly be the last time. The day had been getting steadily darker from the middle of the afternoon.   
  
When 6:00 PM had hit, the sky had changed to a fiery wash of reds and oranges, as if it were burning. There had been Night People gathering around the mansion all day, setting up what seemed to be an impenetrable wall, trapping the Daybreakers inside.   
  
Winter sat with Iliana, Delos and Jez, the Wild Powers, waiting. Waiting was the worst thing ever. Tension was heavy amongst everyone. Winter felt like screaming.   
  
"I hate this," Iliana complained. "Just sitting around doing nothing while they're all getting prepared."  
  
"It really does seem kind of stupid," Delos said dryly, glancing around.   
  
"Thierry's orders," Jez said, her tone almost a growl.   
  
They were in a separate room from the others, ready to be called on when they were needed. The waiting was driving everyone crazy. She wanted to be with Donavon, not stuck in a room with people she barely knew. But there was nothing she could do.  
  
Nothing but wait...  
  
* * *  
Donavon paced about Winter's bedroom, not wanting to see anyone else right now. He was an emotional mess, and he doubted anyone else was doing much better. Glancing out the window he could see Nova had gathered every single minion she could lay her hands on, her army was starting to gather.   
  
Winter was with the other Wild Powers right now. He wanted her to be with *him*. He loved her, and wanted to at least have the chance to make things up to her. But it seemed fate had other things in store for them. No one knew what would happen when the millennium finally struck, in...he checked his watch, and drew a deep breath, 12: 56.  
  
This was it.   
  
* * *  
  



	3. Part 3

Winter stood with the other Wild Powers and the rest of Circle Daybreak, outside the mansion. The entire place was surrounded by a ring of darkness, all the bad, evil, vicious, violent monsters that Nova could get her hands on. Nova herself stood at the front of the group, tall and proud, a sneer on her face.  
  
Tension was heavy between the two opposing sides. There was less that two minutes to go and no one was doing anything. They just stood looking at each other.  
  
Winter caught Jez's eye. Jez nodded simply.   
  
"Now!" Nova yelled suddenly, and chaos exploded.  
  
The two armies sprang forward, attacking each other, cutting, hitting, screams, blood, and colours of magic energy swirled about the air.  
  
Winter accepted the tiny pocket knife Iliana passed to her, using it to slit her wrist, to draw the blood. She caught sighed of Donavon battling one on one with Nova.  
  
Anger flared. Nova had taken him once, and wouldn't again.   
  
The blue fire came out of her and the other Wild Powers in a giant stream of electric magic, blue white, filling her vision. Energies crackled all around, and Winter's mind became a whirling mess. Her blue fire met with that of the other Wild Powers, and mixed together.  
  
Confusion rang. Screams were still sounding, but Winter couldn't see anything except an endless stream of blue up on blue and more blue.  
  
~How do you stop this?~ she asked the others.  
  
She tried concentrating on pulling the power back inside her, and the blue faded, becoming black.  
  
* * *  
When Winter came around, the fiery sky had faded, replaced by ordinary midnight blue, sparkling with stars and gleaming with moon. Her head ached faintly, her muscles were sore.   
  
"What happened?" she muttered, trying to focus on the surroundings. There were people strewn all over the place, picking themselves up, looking as confused as she must.   
  
Nova and her Night People were gone. There was no trace to show that they had ever been there. There was no blood on the floor, no one seemed to be injured.   
  
Huh?  
  
"Winter?"  
  
At Donavon's voice next to her, she focused, turning to look at him. He was looking pretty baffled, but smiling as well.   
  
"What happened?" Winter asked a second time.   
  
"I think we won," Hannah said, providing an answer. She was grinning from ear to ear.   
  
"We did it?" Iliana asked.  
  
"There's no more Night People," Jez said with a grin.   
  
Cheers erupted all around, as everyone began revelling with the knowledge they'd won. Soulmate couples were smooching, those without soulmates hugging each other, everyone was jumping up and down screaming.   
  
And this time, Winter could hardly be pissed at them for being annoyingly bright and cheerful. She herself joined in with the cheering and screaming, particularly the smooching the soulmate thing.   
  
Donavon didn't object to that. Their soulmate connection sparked around them, filling them with the wonderful light that brought their minds together.   
  
"So we won," Thierry said with a grin. "Now what?"  
  
"We party!" Jez answered almost instantly.   
  
Cheers rose again. The air was filled with the sounds of joyful celebration as they partied long into the night.   
  
* * *  
Epilogue  
  
Two days later everything was pretty much back to normal. Everyone was as annoyingly perky as ever, but Winter didn't really mind this time. It was just something to get used to before heading back home and to real life again. The Night World was gone, and everyone could go back to normal.   
  
The witches kept their magic, the vampires had been turned human, the shapeshifters surprisingly remained shapeshifters. Why, no one knew. But they weren't questioning it.  
  
Winter was sitting with the Daybreak group in the living room, the TV was babbling but no one was really paying attention to it, when Mary-Lynnette walked in, announcing, "You guys are *not* going to believe this!"  
  
"Believe what?" Rowan asked.  
  
"What did you do Ash?" Kestrel asked dryly.   
  
"What makes you think I did something?" Ash asked, aggrieved as Mary-Lynnette sat next to him.  
"Because you did," she answered with a grin.  
  
"You're killing us with the suspense here," Winter said. "What'd he do?"  
  
"I'm pregnant."  
  
Winter could feel her eyebrow raise. That was unexpected. Everyone else cheered. Ash looked rather stunned. "Oops," he said.   
  
"It's a bit late for oops," Donavon said dryly.  
  
Ash shook her head. "I can't believe it."  
  
"It's a good thing," Rowan said with a reassuring smile.  
  
"You'll get used to it," Mary-Lynnette said, giving him a hug.  
  
Winter grinned. "Don't worry Ash, you'll probably make a great father, if you stop being such a pain in the ass."  
  
Ash gave her a withering glare. "Oh shut up."  
  
"She has a point," Kestrel said with a grin.  
  
The friendly banter continued. Winter snuggled up close to Donavon, happy again for the first time in months. There was a new future for everyone to look forward to.  
  
THE END.  
  



End file.
